The highly successful Volvo 760 GLE was developed and expanded to give birth to the Volvo 740 GLE in 1984. This new Volvo model was a 4-cylinder alternative to the 760.

The Estate car version of the 740 was introduced in 1985, and was a long-awaited expansion of the range. The Volvo 740 estate car owed its immense success primarily to factors such as its sheer reliability and renowned safety levels, and set new standards of comfort in estate cars. However, what probably made the Volvo 740 estate car one of the most sought-after cars in its segment was its unparalleled interior space and load capacity.

Over the years, the Volvo 740 was powered by a range of different engines, mostly 4-cylinder in-line units with or without turbochargers, and there were also 6-cylinder diesel variants.

The exterior underwent a minor facelift in autumn 1988 to carry the model into the 1989 model year.

From August 1990, the Volvo 740 was made in parallel with the 940 for two years, after which the latter took over completely from the 740.

Descriptions and facts in this press material relate to Volvo Car Group's international car range. Described features might be optional. Vehicle specifications may vary from one country to another and may be altered without prior notification.